SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 03 Unit 03 Poetry
Special Education and Consultant Teacher Resource Guide
**Highlighted text denotes supports and scaffolds from original reading template**
Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Scaffolds and Supports
3.1 Unit Launch: Teacher selects several
poems for students to choose from to get
familiar with different types of poems.
Students read and try to create meaning as a
group and then share their poem with the
class.
It is recommended that the teacher look through poem
packets that are attached below to decide which poems to use
for those teaching points, and then use extras for the unit
launch. There are several poems available to choose from.
(Packets are in the original unit.)
3.2 Readers visualize what the author wrote
by making a mind movie in their head.
Visualizing anchor charts:
Visualize anchor chart 1
Visualize anchor chart 2
Select a poem from the packet (in original unit). Model think
aloud strategy, begin a graphic organizer (I do,) add to
organizer as students are guided to provide their
visualizations of poem quotes (we do,) share their
visualizations with an elbow partner, write on post-it note and
add to graphic organizer (I do.)
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Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Scaffolds and Supports
Visualize Anchor Chart 3
Or
Students can complete partially filled Poetry Visualization
graphic organizer following guided instruction of visualizing
think aloud.
3.3 Authors make connections and capture
their audience by using strong emotions,
observing the world closely, wondering about
the world, worrying about the world, and
remembering something from the past.
Readers ask: Does this poem make me:
 Feel certain emotions?
 See clear images?
 Ask lots of questions?
 Remember my own life?
 Worry about the world?
Model poetry response with poem of choice, using chart paper
and modified version of:
3.4 Readers look for a message or purpose
from the author by paying attention to words
/ phrases that evoke feelings and by
answering questions such as “What do I think
about when I look at/listen to this?” And
“How is this making me feel?”
Model poetry response with poem of choice, using chart paper
and modified version of:
Poetry response anchor chart
or
Poetry Response worksheet
Poetry response anchor chart
or
Poetry Response worksheet
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Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Scaffolds and Supports
3.5 Readers recognize certain techniques the
author uses in a poem by looking for
important patterns such as:
Anchor chart:
Poetry patterns
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Rhyme: the ends of lines or internal
words
Rhythm: the poem may follow a
specific rhythmic pattern or may flow
in a way that connects to the imagery
of the poem
Repetition: Syllables, words, or whole
lines may repeat
Alliteration: The repetition of a first
letter connects words and develops a
tone
Onomatopoeia: Poets use words that
sound like what they mean
Figurative Language: Poets use similes
and metaphors in figurative language
vs. literal
3.6 Writers create a powerful image in the
reader’s mind by using strong verbs in
addition to sensory or vivid adjectives or
adverbs.
**Students select strong adverbs/ adjectives from text and act
them out in comparison to less strong versions (Ex. happy vs.
elated.)
If students struggle to understand what adjectives/adverbs
are, reteach using Identifying Adjectives and Identifying
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Teaching Points
(Lesson Objectives)
Scaffolds and Supports
Adverbs worksheets.
3.7 Readers uncover lesson(s) of a poem by
thinking about what the author might be
trying to teach them about people and life.
Poems on chart paper – Use highlighting tape to identify
important/key words.
3.8 Readers read poetry out loud by using
line breaks, sentence punctuation, and stanza
breaks as cues to pause their reading.
Readers use stanzas to help them understand
how a poem builds. Readers pay attention to
the meaning of the poem when reading aloud
by chunking the poem and asking: Who or
what is the stanza about? How do the stanzas
relate to each other?
Teacher models how to read a poem using the structure to
guide him/her, illustrating the difference with using structure
and without.
3.9 Readers monitor their understanding by
breaking poems into small sections/stanzas
(by what they don’t understand) and
rereading until they can say it in their own
words. They also jot thoughts in the margin
and by asking questions such as:
 What is this about?
 What is happening here?
 What is the main idea in this passage?
 How do stanzas relate?
Annotating poems - Students are given poems (or portions of
poems) to practice interpreting, given guiding questions, (e.g.,
what is happening HERE,) making notes or drawing
illustrations in the margins to demonstrate their
understanding.
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